New Dentist Bloghttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress
Mon, 02 Mar 2015 15:24:52 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1ADA offers resources for new dentists, dental studentshttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2104
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2104#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 15:24:52 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2104Recognizing that dental students and new dentists have different needs, the ADA offers a plethora of services, resources and benefits to help them succeed in their professional and personal lives.

“As dentist, we are professionals, and the ADA is our professional organization,” said Dr. Chris Hasty, vice-chair of the ADA New Dentist Committee. “I see the ADA as the lighthouse of dentistry, guiding our profession to a safe and ethical future, and steering us away from the dangers of outside entities. As new dentists, we have our whole career ahead of us, and the ADA is here to help and see us prosper.”

Dental students and new dentists receive benefits all other members get, including travel benefits, health and wellness information, continuing education programs and access to care initiatives. However, certain ADA products and services are tailored to their needs.

Financial planning

Adjusted for inflation, the average dental school debt for the class of 2000 was $118,515. For the class of 2013, it was $215,145, according to the annual ADEA Survey of Dental School Seniors. Now add in the cost of starting a practice, and it can get overwhelming.

The ADA provides dental students and new dentists with resources to help them stay on track for a bright financial future.

Provided by Wells Fargo Practice Finance, and developed with dentists in mind, the Center for Professional Success provides business planning calculators, including a debt load calculator, which can help new dentists and dental students determine how much they can responsibly afford to borrow for personal and business use. Other calculators available are the loan payment calculator, which estimates monthly loan payment. The loan term calculator helps dentists see how much faster they can pay off an existing loan by adding an additional fixed amount to their monthly payments.

For students seeking financial assistance, the ADA Foundation has a scholarship program for those pursuing careers in dentistry, dental hygiene, dental assisting and dental laboratory technology. The number of ADA Foundation scholarships awarded is dependent upon available annual funds. To learn more about the ADA Foundation scholarships, visit adafoundation.org/en/how-to-apply/education. The ADA also provides information on various federally funded scholarships.

In addition, the ADA provides information on dental student loan repayment programs and resources, including federal and state programs, that offer student loan repayment assistance, often in exchange for services in a health care shortage area. To learn more, visit ADA.org/student or request more information from studentaffairs@ada.org.

Understanding licensure

Dental licensure marks the transition between dental school and dental practice. The ADA provides a free guide called Understanding Licensure, a resource to help guide dental students through the licensure experience.

The guide takes new dentists through the application process, preparing for the clinical exam, notification and appeals, licensure by credentials, etc.

The ADA CareerCenter is the official online job board of the ADA, a resource for searching dental career opportunities or recruiting dental professionals.

The resource allows professionals to search or post job opportunities for dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists and other qualified professionals who specialize in dentistry. Visit the ADA CareerCenter.

Staying up-to-date

The ADA can also help new dentists and dental students stay current on the latest dentistry news as well as scientific findings and studies.

The Journal of the American Dental Association and the ADA News are free to members. These publications are available on ADA.org/publications, along with the ADA Dental Product Guide, the ADA Catalog and ADA E-Communications, which include the ADA Morning Huddle, a daily bulletin of the latest news complied exclusively for ADA members.

In addition, new dentists and dental students receive the ADA New Dentist News, a quarterly publication distributed as an insert in the ADA News as a member resource. To read the latest ADA New Dentist News, click here.

In 2013, the ADA New Dentist Committee launched New Dentist Now, a blog where new dentists can keep up with their colleagues, stay fresh on issues in dentistry and find out about events.

For scientific findings and studies, new dentist and dental student members can access full-text articles online with instant access to over 280 journals through the ADA Library & Archives website. About 95 percent are strictly dental journals. The other 5 percent have medical-dental crossover. This includes in-house access to the New England Journal of Medicine articles going all the way back to 1812. To access the ADA Library & Archives online, click here.

Leadership and Advocacy

Comprising 17 members representing each of the ADA’s regional districts, the New Dentist Committee is a national committee of the ADA Board of Trustees. Its mission: To serve as the voice of the new dentist within the ADA. The committee advises the Board on member benefits and the member experience from a new dentist perspective, as well as, on policy affecting new dentists, among other things. Committee members also provide insight on the issues and needs of new dentists through their liaison roles on the other 11 ADA agencies.

The New Dentist Network engages new dentists, develops leaders and contributes to and influences resources that add member value. It has over 800 contacts and is comprised of new dentist committees and volunteers, ASDA leaders and society staff at all levels of the ADA.

In addition, the New Dentist Committee oversees and actively participates in the Success Dental Student Programs conducted in dental schools around the country. The Success Dental Student Programs provide the next generation of dentists with ethical and practice management information and valuable ADA resources for the transition from dental school to dental practice.

“As a new dentist it is important to be a member of the ADA because we are the future of Dentistry,” said Dr. Michael LeBlanc, New Dentist Committee chair. “In order to help set policy we must have a voice. No better place than the ADA to help set policy and the success of dentistry now and in the future.”

To get involved or for more information, call your state or local dental society, or contact the ADA New Dentist Committee office at newdentist@ada.org or 1-312-440-2386.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=21040With student debt, more young adults live with their parentshttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2078
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2078#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 15:06:49 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2078After graduating from dental school, did you move back in with your parents?

According to a Wall Street Journal article, more young adults are living at home with their parents because of high student debt, along with joblessness and rising housing costs.

A $10,000 increase in student debt per graduate in a U.S. state is associated with an additional 2.9 percentage point rise in the rate of 25-year-olds living with parents, the article says, based on an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Adjusted for inflation, the average dental school debt for the class of 2000 was $118,515. For the class of 2014, the average debt was $247,227, according to the American Dental Education Association.

The WSJ article said the New York Fed study is the latest to show that young Americans are now much more likely to delay leaving home, or to “boomerang” back, as young people weighed down by student debt may try to save money by staying home.

The Institute is designed to provide education and leadership skills to dentists who are members of racial, ethnic and/or gender groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in leadership roles within the profession and their communities.

Sixteen applicants will be selected for the program which includes attendance at three leadership training sessions conducted by faculty from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management at ADA Headquarters in Chicago on Sept. 10-11, Dec. 7-8, and Sept. 8-9, 2016. Participants will be reimbursed for their hotel and travel expenses.

(From left) Drs. MarkLimosani, DeryckPham and Abe Abdulwaheed

The Institute for Diversity in Leadership is made possible by generous support from Henry Schein Dental and Procter & Gamble.

To learn more about the Institute and how to apply, visit ADA.org/diversityinstitute or contact Leadership Team Services at IDL@ada.org or call the ADA toll-free number at ext. 2600.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=21660When interacting with challenging patients, behavior awareness can helphttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2153
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2153#commentsSun, 22 Feb 2015 14:30:21 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2153As my patient pool grows, the dentistry doesn’t change much, but the person in my chair changes every day. I connect with most patients pretty well, but every now and then I am presented with a challenge. What I would call a difficult patient has nothing to do with the dentistry required in their mouth. The difficulty comes from the patient interaction. I know myself, I know the dentistry, but there is something missing in my understanding of the patient.

Dr. Carolyn Norton

I received some insight from one of my attendings at my GPR program, who is also an L.D. Pankey Institute faculty member. He introduced me to the Social Styles Model, which is taught at the Pankey Institute along with the concept of relationship based dentistry. Our discussion led me to the TRAMCOM Group website. Here they elaborate on the specifics of the Social Styles Model.

In the 1960s Roger Reid and John Merrill created the Social Styles Model to help predict human interactions in business relationships. They identified three variables that determine a person’s social style: assertiveness, responsiveness, and versatility. Within these behavioral dimensions four social styles emerged: analytical, amiable, driving, and expressive.

Responsiveness is determined by how much you control or reveal your emotions. Assertiveness is based on where you fall in the spectrum of ask versus tell, or lead versus follow.

No one social style is better than the others, and each style has its own pros and cons. Once you get familiar with each social style, you will begin to pick up on clues that tell you which style your patient uses. Here are four unique behavioral patterns recognized in the Social Style Model, according to The TRACOM Group:

Driving style patients control their emotions and speak assertively. These people want to know the facts about their treatment. Be direct and practical regarding their problems and treatment options. They are focused on the end result and want to know you have a plan.

Amiable style patients show their emotions and prefer to ask questions than give orders. These patients are friendly and ask questions because it makes them feel more comfortable. Take the time to talk with them and get personal. It will definitely pay off.

Analytical style patients control their emotions and prefer to ask questions than give orders. They ask questions because they want to know all of the details. They want to understand each step, the cost, and maybe even the number of appointments. They appreciate precision and accuracy. Take time to develop their treatment plan to show that you care about these things too.

Expressive patients show their emotions and speak assertively. These patients will share their thoughts and feelings regarding their dental problems, but may need your direction. Let them speak, you listen, and then help them focus on their needs.

The next time you have a challenging or difficult patient, look at this social style chart and see where they belong. If you understand why a patient is behaving a certain way, then this may help you alter your social style to make the interaction successful and prevent frustration. This is where versatility comes in. Versatility is primarily the responsibility of the dentist in the patient-doctor relationship. A versatile dentist can alter their social style to make the patient more comfortable. This requires a certain level of awareness and compassion for the patients social needs, not just their dental needs.

I can easily recall patients that fit each social style. Seeing them through this lens makes me like them better as people, and I will definitely change how I interact with them at our next appointment.

Dr. Carolyn Norton is a New Dentist Now guest blogger and a 2014 graduate of the University of Florida College of Dentistry. She is in a 12-month general practice residency at the North Shore University Hospital in Evanston, Ill., affiliated with the University of Chicago. Dr. Norton was a contributing editor for the American Student Dental Association from 2012-14.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=21534ASDA annual session in Bostonhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2140
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2140#commentsFri, 20 Feb 2015 20:28:07 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2140The American Student Dental Association held its Annual Session in Boston Feb. 18-21. More than 600 students attended the meeting to help advance the profession of dentistry and be more “ASDA Awesome.”

Highlights at the event include the business meeting of the House of Delegates, elections of ASDA national leaders, the Dental Expo, prominent speakers within dentistry addressing hot topics, and awards recognizing the achievements of ASDA chapters and members. The meeting concludes with a celebratory gala.

Students, new dentists and ADA leaders interacted throughout the meeting.

Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays, ADA president-elect, poses with a University of the Pacific dental student at ASDA’s annual session in Boston.

Drs. Dan Hammer (left) and Andrew Read-Fuller, new dentists and past ASDA leaders, engage students at the ASDA meeting.

Dr. Timothy Oh, New Dentist Committee District 1 representative and Maine Dental Association president, poses for a photo with student leaders from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine: (From left) Dzhuliya Servetnik, Ava Lindery and Katie Hunt.

Dr. Jeffrery Cole, ADA Trustee of the Fourth District, (second from left), meets with dental students during ASDA’s annual session.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=21402Customize, share your own 2015 World Oral Health Day posterhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2124
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2124#commentsWed, 18 Feb 2015 14:44:30 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2124
Celebrate and promote this year’s FDI World Oral Health Day on March 20 with your own customized poster — which can include your own smiling faces. The poster is available at the event’s website: worldoralhealthday.org/picture.

Then share your customized campaign poster with colleagues and friends worldwide on Facebook or Twitter. The FDI created a kickoff Facebook post to get things started. Or simply print your poster and display it in your dental practice or dental schol.

March 20 is World Oral Health Day, an opportune time to raise awareness for dentistry worldwide.

All the individual posters will be incorporated into a collage to create a giant WOHD logo. A video promoting this app will be displayed on the NASDAQ screen in Times Square.

This year’s rallying global tagline is Smile for Life, urging dentists and patients of all ages to get involved.

Organized by the FDI World Dental Federation, World Oral Health Day encourages FDI member dental associations — including the ADA — schools, companies and other groups to celebrate the day with events organized under a single, unifying and simple message: “It’s time to …,” with the rest being customized to each participant’s campaign.

Interested in promoting good oral health care routines? Then an adapted call to action might be, “It’s time to rinse after brushing your teeth.” Or, “It’s time to chew sugar free gum after every meal.” How about pointing out the importance of visiting the dentist? The campaign could be, “It’s time to visit your local dentist for a checkup.”

According to the FDI, 106 countries participated in 2014’s celebration. Help make sure it’s an even bigger success than last year.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=21241NERB is now the CDCAhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2085
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2085#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 14:28:23 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2085In an effort to more aptly reflect all of its member states, the North East Regional Board introduced in January its new name: The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments.

The CDCA’s name better recognizes the geographical diversity of its current member dental boards, according to its website cdcaexams.org.

The nonprofit announced the name change at its 45th annual meeting, held Jan. 9.

According to CDCA, NERB was founded in 1969 to facilitate the licensure examination process for candidates and eliminate the need for repetition of state board clinical examinations. It expanded from its original eight member states/jurisdictions to 24, including states across five time zones — from Maine and Florida to Hawaii.

In addition, CDCA officials said in an announcement letter, the new name also reflects the fact that CDCA administer many different assessments in the dental profession for state dental boards.

Today, CDCA administered clinical examinations are accepted in 46 different states and Jamaica.

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=2085010 steps to Medical-Dental collaborationhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=1900
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=1900#commentsMon, 16 Feb 2015 15:05:40 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=1900Looking to work and collaborate with local physicians? Seeking to encourage members in the medical field in your community are the importance of oral health as part of the overall health?

Here are 10 steps to help you with your outreach effort, courtesy of the ADA’s Action for Dental Health, a nationwide, community-based movement aimed at ending the dental health crisis facing America today.

Step 1: Contact a local physician or county medical society director to attend a meeting of the local medical society. Discuss with the medical society officers the possibility of an opportunity to present dental issues to the membership.

Step 2: Contact your local hospital continuing education coordinator to offer a “Grand Rounds” or “Dental 101” CE offering. An alternative is to have an introductory “Dental Issues” CME course for local physicians and chiropractors.

Step 3: Invite the president of the local medical society and/or hospital board president to a local dental society meeting for communication/networking opportunities.

Step 4: Invite the dental director and executive director of the local community health center to a dental society meeting to meet local dentists and specialists. Discuss the possibility of local dentists serving on health center committees to ensure cross collaboration between medical/dental departments.

Step 5: Schedule a dinner meeting with local OB-GYN physicians/staff to share information about the importance of oral health for pregnant women. Offer written materials and support to encourage their patients seek dental care during their pregnancy.

Step 6: Visit a local pediatrician’s or family practitioner’s office and schedule a luncheon in-service with office staff. Bring oral hygiene educational materials to reinforce the opportunities for medical staff to encourage the importance of oral health as part of overall health.

Step 7: Schedule a luncheon in-service with hospital Radiation/Oncology staff. Discuss the role of oral hygiene with restorative/rehabilitative needs for patients with cancer.

Step 8: Schedule a luncheon or dinner in-service with local periodontists and internal medicine specialists. Discuss the role of periodontal disease in maintaining optimal hemoglobin A1C levels for diabetic patients.

Step 9: Meet with local physician assistants/nurse practitioners to perform a “Dental 101” type continuing education meeting. Discuss dental emergencies/oral cancer and the role they can play in collaboration with the dentist in facilitating resolution of patient’s dental pain needs.

Step 10: Attend a hospital ER department/senior nurses’ meeting to discuss dental issues. Advise them on the role they can play in collaboration with dentists with regard to dental disease management.

To read the full 10-step process, click here. For more information about the ADA’s Action for Dental Health, visit ADA.org/action.

A story in the Feb. 2 issue of ADA News highlighted the importance of mentorship.

Dr. Christina Rosenthal, a 2005 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, shadowed ADA Executive Director Kathleen O’Loughlin for about three days at ADA Headquarters. It was part of a special program activity that pairs the 2014-15 Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Fellow in Minority Health Policy with a public health leader.

“Sponsoring our young professionals and mentoring them is what all professionals should be doing in order to protect our collective future,” Dr. O’Loughlin said.

In addition, Dr. Rosenthal mentioned other mentors she’s had throughout her journey in dentistry.

Dr. Christina Rosenthal listens to a presentation during this year’s President-Elect’s Conference held Jan. 11-13 at ADA Headquarters.

There’s Dr. Waletha Wasson, a dental instructor at UT dental school who Dr. Rosenthal says continues to be a “shoulder to cry on”; Dr. Wisdom Coleman, a UT dean of admissions who was instrumental in Dr. Rosenthal’s decision to go to dental school; Dr. Rederick Miller who allowed her to get work experience after graduating from UT; Dr. Joan Reede who gave her the opportunity to become a Harvard fellow; Dr. Raymond Gist, a former ADA president who wrote her recommendation letter to Harvard; and Dr. Delois Roberson, a dentist in Memphis.

“When I expressed an interest in dentistry, I wrote a letter to every dentist in Memphis,” Dr. Rosenthal said in the article. “(Dr. Roberson) was the only to respond and allowed me to shadow her. She even took me to my first Tennessee Dental Association conference.”

Dr. Rosenthal also said how important it is for younger dentists to not be afraid or intimated of reaching out to someone with more experience.

“Realize there are so many experienced dentists who want to help,” she said. “However, they won’t know you need the mentorship and help until you reach out to them.”

]]>http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=20890Tips for controlling upper back painhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2029
http://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2029#commentsWed, 11 Feb 2015 15:02:16 +0000New Dentist Nowhttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/wordpress/?p=2029As a dentist, you do many procedures that require a close visual field and fine, controlled movements of your hands for long periods of time.

These procedures also require sustained postures and twisting and bending of your neck and upper back. These postures and movements can place stress on your upper back and neck, contributing to the development of or aggravation of upper back pain. This can impacts your well-being and the efficiency and productivity of your office.

Use magnification, such as loupes, and adequate lighting to bring your field of vision closer and decrease the extent to which your neck is held forward and flexed down.

Position the patient’s head at a level that gives you access to the oral cavity while being able to hold your shoulders in a relaxed, neutral position (rather than a hunched up position) and you are able to hold your elbows at about a ninety degree or less flexion.

When possible, use chair arms to support your upper arm or forearm when doing fine, precision work with your hands.

Wear properly fitting gloves.

Keep equipment in good working order. Improperly maintained equipment can cause you to use unnecessary pressure and extra time when performing certain procedures.

Position equipment within easy reach and visibility to reduce repeated twisting of your neck or torso.

Take a break in between or during long or difficult cases.

When possible, set up your schedule to rotate long, difficult cases with short, easier cases.

Seek medical consultation for upper back pain, especially in the following instances:

After recent significant trauma, such as a fall, a motor vehicle accident or other such accidents.

When sleep is disrupted or pain is worse at night.

With a history of prolonged steroid use.

With a history of osteoporosis.

With a recent history of infection or a temperature over 100 degrees F.

Numbness or tingling in arms.

Severe, sudden headache.

Dizziness.

To read the full CPS article, which includes information on symptoms and causes, click here. The article is only available to ADA members.